A Night of High Drama at Allianz Field
The U.S. Open Cup has always delivered its share of wild stories, but Minnesota United’s comeback against St. Louis City SC took drama to another level. On a cool night at Allianz Field, the home crowd watched the Loons erase a second-half deficit and snatch a 3-2 victory, booking their spot in the quarterfinals and leaving St. Louis City stunned.
After a rough spell for Kelvin Yeboah—eight matches without a goal—no one expected fireworks this early. But in the 10th minute, Yeboah met Julian Gressel’s sharp cross and capped it with a slick, no-look backheel, breathing early life into Minnesota’s attack. With that, Minnesota looked poised to take control, dictating possession and tempo through much of the first half. Yeboah’s celebration felt like a release—not only for him, but for fans eager to see the Loons hit their stride.
Still, St. Louis has made a name for themselves as comeback artists this season. Unlike Ramsey, who rotated seven players to keep his squad fresh, St. Louis manager Bradley Carnell stuck close to his usual starters. The decision almost worked, as his team started clicking after halftime. Marcel Hartel, never shy about taking chances, equalized after finding space and firing past Minnesota’s keeper for his first Open Cup goal. Momentum shifted fast. Just minutes later, João Klauss soared above the defense to nod in Timo Baumgartl’s whipped cross. Suddenly, the match belonged to St. Louis, and their fans were dreaming of a deep cup run.
Anthony Markanich’s Heroics Change the Story
Games like this turn on moments, and Anthony Markanich seized his when it mattered most. Down 2-1 as the clock neared ninety, Minnesota’s energy started to surge. Joaquín Pereyra’s footwork carved open St. Louis’s back line in the 85th minute, sliding the ball over for Markanich. He drilled home the equalizer, sending Allianz Field into a frenzy. That wasn’t enough for the wingback. With St. Louis reeling, another Pereyra assist set up Markanich in stoppage time. He stayed calm, finished low, and spun away as fans erupted—the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals were now reality for Minnesota United.
This win wasn’t just about late goals. It was the product of gutsy squad decisions by manager Eric Ramsey, who rested regulars and trusted rotation players to finish the job. For St. Louis, the result stings a bit more since it ended their undefeated cup run and featured milestones from their newest star. Hartel not only bagged his first Open Cup goal but also chipped in an assist on Klauss’s third of the season. That kind of output often wins matches, just not on this wild night.
Minnesota’s reward? Another chance to extend their cup dream, with a fresh sense of confidence and resilience. For St. Louis City, it means going back to the drawing board—painful, but hardly the end of the road in what’s shaping up to be one of the league’s most unpredictable seasons.
May 27, 2025 AT 10:18
i dont get why st louis kept playing so high up the pitch after they went ahead
they had the game in hand but just kept giving balls away
May 29, 2025 AT 09:47
oh wow another american soccer fairy tale
where were you when the underdog got crushed last year
congrats on being emotionally invested in a cup game that means nothing in the grand scheme of things
May 30, 2025 AT 10:20
ramsey is a genius for benching his starters and still winning
st louis are a paper tiger with no spine
hartel’s assist doesn’t fix the fact that they choked in the final 10 minutes
this is why they’ll never win anything
June 1, 2025 AT 05:51
minnesota fans know this feeling
its the same energy as when we beat the twins in '19
the kind of win that makes you believe again
even if it’s just for a few weeks
June 2, 2025 AT 22:13
markanich the man
no cap
June 4, 2025 AT 18:52
that’s the kind of football that reminds you why you love the game
not the flashy transfers or the billion dollar stadiums
just pure grit and heart on a tuesday night in minneapolis
June 5, 2025 AT 03:03
pereyra was operating in full x-games mode tonight
that assist to markanich was pure 360 spin + no-look flick energy
ramsey’s rotation strategy was peak tactical flex
we didn’t need the stars we needed the warriors
June 6, 2025 AT 14:04
i still think this cup is a joke
why are we celebrating a team that barely plays their best XI
and why does everyone act like this is a real achievement
it’s just a warmup for the real season
June 8, 2025 AT 07:14
did anyone else notice how st louis just stopped pressing after the second goal
like they already accepted they were gonna lose
June 8, 2025 AT 10:41
this is why we stay up late for games like this
the kind of night where the whole city feels like one heartbeat
even if you’re not a fan
you can’t help but respect it
June 8, 2025 AT 14:32
minnesota you did it 💪🔥
June 9, 2025 AT 06:27
brilliant stuff
the way markanich just slipped that second one in like it was nothing
st louis had all the momentum
and then-poof-gone
like the wind just stole it
June 10, 2025 AT 09:10
sometimes the game doesn’t need tactics or stats
it just needs someone to believe when no one else does
markanich didn’t just score two goals
he reminded us that football is still magic
May 26, 2025 AT 10:05
yeboah finally broke through and then markanich just went full superhero mode
that second goal was pure ice in his veins